MICHIGAN BIRDS and Natural History January - March 2009 Volume 16 Number 1 A publication of Michigan Audubon MICHIGAN BIRDS and Natural History January - March 2009 Volume 16 Number 1 Michigan Birds and Natural History is a publication of Michigan Audubon and is published five times a year. Its mission is to provide a forum for the publication of research on the natural history of Michigan with an emphasis on birds. It is also the home of the Michigan Bird Survey, Michigan Butterfly Survey, Michigan Christmas Bird Counts, North American Migration Count, and the proceedings of the Michigan Bird Records Committee. Subscriptions are $25.00 per year in the United States and $30.00 elsewhere. They cover the current calendar year. Subscriptions can be obtained by sending a check along with your name and address to: Michigan Audubon/MBNH 6011 W. St. Joseph Hwy., Suite 403 Lansing, Michigan 48917 If you would prefer to receive your subscription electonically rather than as a mailed paper copy, also include your email address with your subscription request. MBNH Committee Managing Editor ................................................................Caroline de Mauriac Layout Editor .................................................................................... Don Tinson II Survey Editor .............................................................................. Adam M. Byrne Photo Editor ............................................................................... Allen T. Chartier Copy Editor ............................................................................................ Bill Rapai Peer Review ....................................................................................... Mike Bishop Seasonal Survey Compilers ............................ Jon Wuepper, Jack Reinoehl, Louis Dombroski, Adam M. Byrne NAMC Compiler ................................................. Jeff Buecking, Mike Petrucha Christmas Bird Count Compilers ........... Glenn Palmgren, Adam M. Byrne Banding Summaries ........................................................................ Mike Bishop Michigan Bird Records Committee ........................................ Adam M. Byrne Cover: This King Rail was photographed extraordinarily well as it walked across the county line from Bay into Arenac on 27 June 2008. Photo by Doug Jackson. Printing: RiverRun Press, Kalamazoo, Michigan January-March 2009, Volume 16 Number 1 The 2008 Kirtland’s Warbler Census Michael E. Petrucha 5171 Van Vleet Rd. Swartz Creek. MI 48473 Email: [email protected] Elaine Carlson Michigan Department of Natural Resources Mio Field Office 191 S. Mount Tom Rd. Mio, MI 48647 Email: [email protected] The first Kirtland’s Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii) census of singing males was conducted in 1951, and repeated in 1961 and 1971 (Weinrich 1996). As the 1971 census recorded a singing male decline of 60% from the 1961 census, a decision was made to conduct an annual census starting in 1972 to closely monitor the population (Mayfield 1972). See Ryel (1976) for census methods. The 2008 census was conducted from 6-15 June, and recorded 1792 singing males in Michigan, of which 1758 were located in the Lower Peninsula (LP) and 34 in the Upper Peninsula (UP) (Table 1). Wisconsin reported nine males, and Ontario reported three males, for a North American total of 1804. This represents almost a 6% increase from the 1707 males reported in 2007, and is the highest total ever recorded. The warbler population has been on an upward climb since a low of 167 males in 1987 (Figure 1). The 1792 Michigan males counted this year are over 10 times more than the 1987 count. Kirtland’s Warblers were found in the same 12 LP and 5 UP counties as in 2007 (Table 1.). Ogemaw had the highest county count with 628 males, up from 529 in 2007 (Table 1.). This is over twice as many as Crawford, the next highest county, which had 288 males. One 760 acre plantation and one 640 acre plantation in Ogemaw Co. was occupied by124 and 118 males respectively. Those two areas combine for over 13% of the world’s population. Wisconsin reported five female Kirtland’s Warblers and five nests (Trick 2008). Ontario reported nesting for a second consecutive year, with a pair producing four young (Canada Forces 2008). Eleven female Kirtland’s Warblers were reported in the UP. 1 MICHIGAN BIRDS and Natural History Table 1. Census of Singing Male Kirtland's Warblers by County 1951‐2008 Location 1951 1961 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 MI LP Counties Alcona 4 Clare Crawford 142 52 101 101 114 88 90 95 78 74 75 Grand Traverse Iosco 74 30 1 2 1 Kalkaska 28 32 3 7 11 16 21 Montmorency 43 61 1 Ogemaw 114 47 49 51 35 46 51 62 40 40 Oscoda 103 152 48 48 47 41 35 44 59 62 71 Otsego 14 3 Presque Isle 34 34 Roscommon 413 142722 Wexford 242111 LP Total 432 502 201 200 216 167 179 200 218 196 210 MI UP Counties Baraga Chippewa Delta Luce Marquette Schoolcraft UP Total 00000000000 MI Total 432 502 201 200 216 167 179 200 218 196 210 Wisconsin 21 Ontario 11 QuebecQ 1 N.A. Total 432 502 201 200 216 167 179 200 219 200 211 2 The 2008 Kirtland’s Warbler Census January-March 2009, Volume 16 Number 1 Table 1. Census of Singing Male Kirtland's Warblers by County 1951‐2008 Location 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 MI LP Counties Alcona 11166 Clare Crawford 93 72 67 72 81 80 84 66 63 55 Grand Traverse Iosco 3311373 38 Kalkaska 38 32 17 15 15 21 16 10 11 7 Montmorency 21 Ogemaw 46 50 44 42 43 22 17 13 15 12 Oscoda 58 67 72 81 71 80 81 68 100 115 Otsego Presque Isle Roscommon 4851158999 Wexford LP Total 242 232 206 214 215 216 210 167 207 212 MI UP Counties Baraga Chippewa Delta Luce Marquette 11 Schoolcraft UP Total 0011000000 MI Total 242 232 207 215 215 216 210 167 207 212 Wisconsin 1 82 Ontario 1 QQuebec N.A. Total 243 232 207 215 215 217 210 167 215 214 Michael E. Petrucha and Elaine Carlson 3 MICHIGAN BIRDS and Natural History Table 1. Census of Singing Male Kirtland's Warblers by County 1951‐2008 Location 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 MI LP Counties Alcona 4 7 8 11 23 36 41 50 68 122 Clare 21 544 Crawford 59 65 52 34 46 75 75 119 175 200 Grand Traverse Iosco 5 4 3 16 8 10 23 31 41 Kalkaska 5744316232428 Montmorency 41221 Ogemaw 17 35 51 81 153 225 191 187 231 215 Oscoda 166 226 274 344 381 391 324 264 236 245 Otsego 3 2 14 19 26 10 22 Presque Isle 2 Roscommon 97445241095 Wexford LP Total 265 347 397 484 631 757 671 709 790 885 MI UP Counties Baraga 111 Chippewa Delta 42433 Luce Marquette 158512 Schoolcraft 1126764 UP Total 00012814191419 MI Total 265 347 397 485 633 765 685 728 804 904 Wisconsin 111 1151 Ontario 11 QQuebec N.A. Total 267 348 398 485 633 766 686 733 805 905 4 The 2008 Kirtland’s Warbler Census January-March 2009, Volume 16 Number 1 Table 1. Census of Singing Male Kirtland's Warblers by County 1951‐2008 Location 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 MI LP Counties Alcona 120 132 124 160 171 140 170 175 207 Clare 3 11 6 48 64 113 138 147 141 Crawford 241 266 236 209 224 227 276 290 288 Grand Traverse 1111212 Iosco 41 50 74 110 105 131 168 238 192 Kalkaska 32 20 23 24 19 11 4 4 10 Montmorency 2 6 7 7 14 10 14 11 Ogemaw 212 385 380 435 451 480 493 529 628 Oscoda 215 190 174 170 225 209 149 198 209 Otsego 15 9 17 3 35 47 35 43 40 Presque Isle 1 65 Roscommon 2 14 3 21 36 26 13 20 25 Wexford LP Total 883 1077 1044 1188 1339 1399 1458 1665 1758 MI UP Counties Baraga 211210 Chippewa 125812 Delta 4438367710 Luce 14 1 Marquette 121 386 Schoolcraft 121544685 UP Total 8 8 6 14 9 18 21 32 34 MI Total 891 1085 1050 1202 1348 1417 1479 1697 1792 Wisconsin 3489 Ontario 323 QQuebec N.A. Total 891 1085 1050 1202 1348 1420 1486 1707 1804 Michael E. Petrucha and Elaine Carlson 5 MICHIGAN BIRDS and Natural History Figure 1. Singing Male Kirtland's Warblers 1951‐2008 2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 Males 1000 Singing 800 600 400 200 0 1951 1961 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Year Acknowledgements The Kirtland’s Warbler census could not be done without the help of various agencies and numerous volunteers. Phil Huber, Paul Thompson, and Samara Lawrentz compiled the U. S. Forest Service census results. Steve Sjogren compiled the UP numbers. Literature Cited Canadian Forces (Aug. 5, 2008) Nesting Kirtland’s Warblers return to CFB Petawawa. Press release. Mayfield, H. F. 1972. Third decennial census of Kirtland’s Warbler. Auk 89:263-268. Trick, J. 2008. Summary of Kirtland’s Warbler activities in Wisconsin 2008. Report to Kirtland’s Warbler Recovery Team. 2pp. Ryel, R. A. 1976. The 1975 census of Kirtland’s Warblers. Jack-Pine Warbler 54:2-6. Weinrich, J. 1996. Status of Kirtland’s Warbler: 1995. Michigan Birds and Natural History 3:149-154. 6 The 2008 Kirtland’s Warbler Census January-March 2009, Volume 16 Number 1 Seasonal Use of Snags and Downed Logs by Vertebrates in a Small Wetland in Livingston County, Michigan Richard A. Wolinski 2450 Baker Road Dexter, MI 48130 Introduction The use of snags by vertebrates in managed and old-growth forests has received attention by foresters and biologists attempting to understand and maintain biological diversity within forested tracts (Mannan, et al. 1980, Davis, et al. 1983, Mannan and Meslow 1984).